CS2 The Armory Update

Counter-Strike 2 has rolled out one of its most significant updates yet, known as The Armory. This release introduces a wide variety of exciting new features designed to enhance the gaming experience. Key improvements have been made on the networking side of the game, aiming to provide a more responsive and seamless experience for players. Additionally, movement mechanics have received attention, promising an overall smoother gameplay.

Alongside these technical upgrades, The Armory update boasts a range of new cosmetic options. Players can look forward to gun charms, a new weapon case, and three new collections of weapons. Players now have the opportunity to preview items, such as stickers and charms, on their weapons from the Community Market and Armory before purchasing. This robust update sets the stage for enriched gameplay and aesthetic customization, delighting both new and seasoned players.

Update Notes for 10/2/2024

The Arsenal

The Arsenal has been introduced to the in-game store, featuring a diverse selection of new items. Players can find three weapon collections, two charm collections, and two sticker collections. The Gallery Case and the Heat Treated Desert Eagle also make their debut. Players have the opportunity to purchase and activate an Arsenal Pass, facilitating the earning of Arsenal Credits. Progress towards credits is made while gaining XP, allowing players to redeem these credits for exciting items in the Arsenal.

Weapon Adornments

With the introduction of Weapon Adornments, players can personalize their favorite weapons. Exclusively available within the Arsenal, these dynamic items can be precisely positioned on the weapons of choice. Each weapon can only sport one adornment at a time. When players wish to remove an adornment, a Detachment feature allows for easy disconnection, and the adornment returns to the inventory for future use. Upon redeeming an adornment from the Arsenal, players receive three free Detachments, with the option to purchase additional ones.

Collections and Gear

Several updates have been made to collections and gear items acquired through the in-game store, trades, or the Steam Community Market. All these items are now under a seven-day restriction for re-trading and re-marketing. Players can preview stickers, patches, and adornments on Steam Community items, through the Arsenal, or on friends’ inventories. The option to delete weapon cases is no longer available. A new feature allows for selecting the scrape level of stickers being applied, along with an instant remove option. The name tag module has received a preview update, and fixes have been implemented for unequipped weapons during customization. Additionally, if a base weapon is customized, the new version is auto-equipped.

Motion and Dynamics

Character movement and animation have undergone significant adjustments. Improvements include better character posing on slopes, updated feet pinning, and unpinning mechanisms. Server ping times will no longer affect these animations. There's refined content for running, walking, and crouching, correcting awkward leg poses. Ladder animations are reworked to align with the player camera, and characters now display proper crouches while on ladders. Issues like popping during crouch and uncrouch actions while jumping, and character pose popping when falling off ledges, are addressed. These enhancements promise a more seamless and realistic gaming experience.

Game Mechanics

To improve gameplay mechanics, flashbangs and HE grenades will no longer detonate prematurely when hitting a ‘stuck bounce’ limit. This ensures players have more control over their grenade deployments during matches.

Visuals

The graphics have seen improvements with the addition of a Display selection dropdown in the Video settings for Fullscreen mode. Moreover, artifact issues affecting fire effects in the Advanced Video settings have been rectified, enhancing the visual experience.

Sound and Audio

Several bug fixes have been applied to the audio component of the game. UI sounds now properly position during gameplay, and step sounds are consistently broadcasted between players. Additionally, the issue with ragdoll water splash sounds incorrectly affecting living players has been fixed. Voice chat operational problems, both in community servers and for lingering incoming chats, are also resolved.

Connectivity

Network diagnostics now feature telemetry options to graph network jitter and packet misdelivery. Measurement methods for packet delivery have been revised, considering only those packets that disrupt gameplay as misdelivered. Unlike before, where out-of-order packets were detected as misdelivery regardless of their impact, the current system involves jitter in assessments that could affect gameplay quality.

Custom Content

In workshops, new features are available, including an optional third layer to the environment blend shader and biplanar mapping for environment shaders. Wetness layers can now be painted in Hammer on environment materials. Enhancements to foliage shaders and static overlays include adjustments for color correction, roughness, and normal.

Various Changes

Command line options meant solely for development use have been removed, refining the application and ensuring a more streamlined user experience.

Battlefields

Several maps have seen updates:

• Ancient: Geometry issues leading to disappearing elements have been fixed. Adjustments prevent players from detecting movement through water from afar, and pixel peeks have been addressed. Shadows visible through structures have been concealed, and player movement clipping is improved.
• Anubis: Missing collisions are fixed, and geometry hindering grenade throws has been adjusted. The map's clipping ensures better predictability and player movement.
• Dust2: Clipping issues at the B site have been corrected to enhance gameplay.
• Italy: Now available in competitive matchmaking, with adjustments made to bird animations.
• Mirage: Problematic C4 stuck spots have been resolved.
• Nuke: Some gaps in geometry have been patched, preventing item loss. Various points for pixel walks and C4 stuck spots have been corrected.
• Overpass: Adjustments to grenade clipping enhance the map's tactical options, ensuring more predictable grenade bounces for players.